AMN / NEW DELHI
Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik of Oman arrived in New Delhi today on his first State Visit to India. MoS MEA V. Muraleedharan received him at the airport. Omani ruler is accompanied by a delegation comprising senior ministers and officials
The Sultan of Oman is visiting India at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu and will be received by PM Modi and President Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for a ceremonial welcome on December 16.
The finalisation of a free trade agreement (FTA) and ways to bolster trade and strategic cooperation are set to top the agenda for the state visit of Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
This is the first state visit to India by the Omani ruler, who is accompanied by a delegation comprising senior ministers and officials. The external affairs ministry said the visit marks a “significant milestone” in diplomatic relations between the two sides.
India is close to signing an FTA with Oman that will be similar to the trade deal inked with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year, one of the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. India and Oman have been able to take forward their talks on an FTA even as there has been little progress on a similar deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the people said.
The talks were fast tracked after a formal meeting between India and Oman on negotiating the trade deal on November 20. Two rounds of negotiations have already been held and almost all matters have been streamlined, the person cited above said.
The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1955 and the relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008. Sultan Haitham’s visit is of special significance as it will also be the first trip to India by an Omani ruler in more than 25 years. The late Sultan, Qaboos bin Said, travelled to India in 1997.